


A Ring of Grass

by BawdyBean



Series: The World of Us [4]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Walks In The Park, the orks are in on it and Geralt has no idea, you read that right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23561833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BawdyBean/pseuds/BawdyBean
Summary: It's been on Eskel mind formonths. How to ask Geralt for the one thing he really wants after decades together. The thing he didn't even know was possible until he met Duncan and Rhys. He's talked to everyone he can about itexceptGeralt, and Eskel is going to have to set aside his fears and simply ask Geralt: Will you marry me?
Relationships: Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Series: The World of Us [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612003
Comments: 18
Kudos: 24
Collections: Discord Community Archive





	A Ring of Grass

**Author's Note:**

> Best read after [Chapter 5](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22363516/chapters/56100757) of London Calling but feel free to read as a stand alone as well, just know that they are in London 2060's shadowrun for reasons of a polycule *shrug* :)
> 
> I once said, 'Oh husbands, yeah I won't ever be writing that for my witchers their universe doesn't seem to be interested in it.' and oh how I have turned out to be a liar! Happily as it were.

Rinsing the bowls and handing them off to Geralt to dry came naturally. Some things in life would never change he mused, smiling to himself. In life there would always be dishes, and he would always have Geralt. The where and how might change, but some parts of it stayed constant. The orks had a machine that could do the washing for them but they’d chosen to do it their way instead.

“What are you smirking about over there.” Geralt’s voice was sweet like thick melted caramel and it made Eskel smile even harder.

“Jus’ how some things are the same no matter where you go.” Holding up the last bowl and tipping it slowly into Geralt’s waiting hand Eskel’s eyes crinkled with a flirtatious joy. “Dishes, for one. There’s jus’ no escape.” Bursting out in laughter Eskel bent forward, hands falling to Geralt’s waist and rising up to his tiptoes to kiss Geralt’s mouth. The still wet bowl trapped between them.

When he broke away, Eskel looked down and the wet splotch on his shirt from it and couldn’t help but laugh stealing one more quick peck from Geralt who was still holding the bowl in front of him like he didn’t know what had struck him. With a nod of his head, Eskel indicated the bowl, and Geralt instantly snapped back to the moment, twirling it in his hands. Drying it with the towel and tucking it away in the cupboard at home with the rest.

Eskel wandered out of the kitchen and down the hall to the bedroom. Peeled off his wet shirt and pulled a maroon sweater over his head. It had a black double vee-neck collar and black cuffs. Like everything else Rhys had bought him it was absurdly comfortable. Soft and warm, immediately reminding Eskel of how his lovers cuddled with him.

Geralt was lounging on the couch when Eskel came back out. Flopping down next to him, Eskel pulled him up close. “We should go for a walk. I wanna show you the park. It’s close by an’ I think you’ll love it.”

Skeptically, Geralt raised his eyes up to Eskel’s face. “You think it’s a good idea to go out by ourselves?” Geralt placed his hand on Eskel’s abdomen. “I’m sure Duncan or Rhys would be happy to take us when they get back.”

 _Just come with me, Melitele, Don’t make this difficult Geralt_. Heart thundering in his ears Eskel tried to come up with a reason why that wasn’t going to work. Geralt tipped his head toward Eskel listening to his heartbeat. “Everything alright?” And now he looked worried. Fuck. Gods be Damned enhanced hearing. 

Forcing his adrenaline flooded body to slow down, Eskel let out an antsy breath. “Yeah. I jus’ kinda wanna show them that we _can_ go for a walk alone. That we’re doin’ good here ya’know? I think they worry ‘bout us. Well ‘bout me.” Trying for a convincing smile and a small laugh, Eskel thought he did well. Put the blame on himself, that would draw Geralt into doing what he wanted surely.

And it did.

“Alright.” Geralt gave Eskel a pensive look. “I know the door codes, and I am pretty sure I can send a message on my commlink to Duncan. Well a voice one at least, I still can’t understand their writing here. Then they won’t worry if we are gone when they get back.”

“Thank you.” Now Eskel’s smile was genuine. He loved that Geralt was picking up all these new things so fast, was happy to use the knowledge for them. The deep kiss he planted on Geralt, exploring his mouth completely before he let Geralt up for air, was a testament to how much Eskel appreciated him.

There was a slight breeze outside, but the sun shone bright barely peeking over the tops of the buildings and warming the skin on Eskel’s forearms where he’d pushed the sweaters sleeves up. Reaching down he took hold of Geralt’s hand and smirked at the way it lit up Geralt’s face. “This way. ‘S not far, jus’ a few blocks.”

They walked in silence. Past the tiny green patch that was Regent Square in front of the ork’s apartment. Geralt probably thought the way his heartbeat thudded in his chest as he pulled Geralt across the street was simply nerves at being out on their own. And while that was part of it—Eskel was sure to look both ways for the metal beasts that moved people around here, and then once more for good measure—it certainly wasn’t all of it.

Eskel still wasn’t exactly sure of what he would say to Geralt. But he was going to trust Duncan on this, that maybe he didn’t need to have it all completely planned out, that the asking was the important part. He would just talk to Geralt and maybe it would come naturally. Like the dishes.

When they stepped up on the curb of the sidewalk Eskel was greeted by a window display of glorious confection. Nearly as tall as him, tiered and layered, the frosting looked like folded silk with little drops of silver scattered on it. Eskel swallowed and Geralt snickered.

“No.” Eskel heart stopped at the word. “You do not need to eat an entire wedding cake yourself.” Geralt snickered harder and punched Eskel in the shoulder. “Ask Rhys about a smaller cake shop, I’m sure he knows one where you can buy a slice—like that one where we had the pie.”

Heart lurching in his chest when Eskel realized Geralt was only joking about his sweet tooth, he tried to defend himself. “‘M not that bad.”

“Yes. You are.” Geralt bumped into Eskel’s shoulder as they walked down Tavistock Place. “But I still love you. Who knows, maybe that's why you’re so sweet to me.”

Slowly relaxing again Eskel let the silence fall around them again as they walked past churches and brick buildings. The path was easy to remember it was so short. Something Eskel was both thankful for, and terrified by—that he wouldn’t have anything to say when they got there.

Turning the corner Eskel could already see the entrance to St. George's Gardens. “Right there, you can see the gate already.” Eskel pointed to the metal gate with bushes sprouting out from behind it sandwiched between brick buildings. A lush spot of green in a sea of rusty red.

“That’s almost hidden.” There was a little fascination in Geralt’s voice.

“It’s… you’re gonna love it. A hidden gem in this world of stone.” Yes, that was exactly how Eskel thought of this park, that he’d first spotted from Rhys and Duncan’s roof. 

Geralt’s enthusiasm showed in his pace picking up, Eskel’s hand being stretched ahead of him as Geralt took the lead. As much as Geralt professed to love the hum and activity of London, maybe Eskel thought, he craved a little bit of the serenity nature offered too. 

Allowing himself to be pulled along Eskel took the chance to admire Geralt’s ass. Rhys did have amazing taste in clothing. The black leather pants were cinched on the sides of Geralt’s thighs to ensure that they showed off every bit of his perfectly muscled backside and it was a thing of beauty to behold. The softwashed long sleeved shirt really left little to the imagination either. Hugging Geralt’s arms and waist, revealing how lithe and toned he was without revealing anything at all. 

Eskel wanted to eat him up. Grinning he shook his head and wondered how he’d gotten so lucky in life to have someone so handsome who wanted him back. Eskel let the thought slide away from him and came back to the present as Geralt paused at the gate.

“It’s a graveyard?” One eyebrow was creeping up Geralt’s face in question. “Spending time with people our own age?”

Eskel guffawed and instinct took over. His hand landing on Geralt’s ass with a loud smack. Right away, Eskel pulled his hand back, eyes big, he looked around and then seeing that no one was around, laughed harder than before at the scandalized look on Geralt’s face. “Did you-” Geralt stammered, “-just?” 

“Nope. Most definitely didn’. C’mon.” Tension completely broken, Eskel kept a straight face and walked past Geralt. Holding out his hand he waited for Geralt to take it before strolling along the path among the grass and graves. “These people are far older’n us. An’ ‘s peaceful.”

Walking Geralt past the middle of the park Eskel found a wooden bench under a tree. There was no one around and he sat down pulling Geralt down next to him. Bravely he put his arm around Geralt’s shoulders.

“Ya’know I like it here. London, I mean. I can do this. Sit on a bench with you, hold your hand, put my arm ‘round you. An’ if someone happens to walk by, well then they do.” Squeezing Geralt tight Eskel brought his arm back and picked at a long piece of grass missed by the gardener poking up next to the bench.

“It scared you at first though.” Geralt settled his arm around Eskel’s shoulders and laid his head on the one closest to him.

“It did. But lotsa things I really love scare me at first.” Gods, that was more of a truth than he planned on it being. “Takes me some time to warm up to the idea.” Idly twisting the grass in his fingers Eskel enjoyed the heavy warmth of Geralt’s arm over him. Turning the blade of grass over in his hands, Eskel wrapped it over and over itself.

They sat in silence for a bit, Eskel playing with the grass, and Geralt softly stroking his shoulder, taking in the park. The bluebells were still in bloom and everything was painted in green, blue, and lavender with splashes of red tulips here and there.

“There’s jus’ so much you can do here that you can’t do back home. I could kiss you. Right here. Right now, in public.” Eskel looked up at Geralt sideways from where he sat with his elbows resting on his knees.

Geralt’s face turned wistful. “But you won’t.”

“Oh, I don’ know. I might.” Eskel’s lips curved up hopefully at the edges, pinched between his thumb and forefinger he held up the grass twisted into a circle. “If you tell me you’ll marry me.”

The air in Eskel’s lungs held still while he waited for Geralt to speak. Every noise stood out in stark relief—the wind rustling the spring leaves above them, the bird chirping where it perched on a tomb—in the silence. 

Stunned speechless Geralt stared at Eskel in disbelief. “You’re serious? You are serious.” And then Geralt’s whole body changed, bubbling with barely contained glee. “Of course!”

The air burned on it’s way back into Eskel’s lungs. “Yes?” Tentatively he reached for Geralt’s hand.

“Yes, Eskel. Yes!” Geralt pulled Eskel close by his shoulders and Eskel let him. Turned his head up to take Geralt’s lips with his mouth in a shaky kiss. Blindly he slipped the little grass ring on Geralt’s finger by feeling alone. Eskel was still shaking when he broke the kiss and took hold of Geralt’s legs to pull them into his lap. But now it was with timid laughter.

Letting out a relieved breath, Eskel let his head fall back, still cradled by Geralt’s arm around his shoulders. “You terrify me sometimes, you know that?”

Rubbing his face into Eskel’s neck, face plastered with a grin, Geralt laughed with him. “That just means you love me, you even said so.”

“‘S true.” Now that he could breathe again Eskel looked from one side to the other. Thankfully they were still alone. “I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout this for months. I know I wanna marry you here, where ‘s real an’ means somethin’. With our friends an’ family around. I want it to be legal. Maybe even register it.”

“I-” voice sounding wet Geralt swallowed and Eskel could hear it so close to him, “-I would love that. But none of that would matter, as long as I could have you and know we’d done it, that would be enough for me. I just want to be able to tell you you’re mine and I will never leave you. Everything else is just cake.”

Curling further onto Eskel’s lap Geralt giggled. “Oh Gods! Cake! I had no idea. I swear.”

“I know. You ‘bout gave me a heart attack, too. Bastard.” A swift pinch to Geralt’s side and the smile in Eskel’s voice reinforced the teasing manner in which it was meant. “Jus’ sit with me for a bit? Enjoy this before we go back an’ get swarmed by happy orks?”

Geralt didn’t answer but he made no effort to move off of Eskel’s lap either and that was answer enough for Eskel.

**Author's Note:**

> Lovely commission I had done by [tshortik](https://tshortik.tumblr.com/) on Tumbler of this fic!


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